Flash Fiction

Contrary to what many people believed 2012 was not the end of the world. Nor was 2015 or 2020. But on my fifteenth birthday in 2050 I was starting to believe that now it was the end. It was partly the fact that I hadn’t seen the sun in six months and partly the fact that today my world had crashed. My fifteenth birthday was supposed to be the most exciting day since my tenth because it would be the first day working in the Science and Technology industry I had spent most of my life preparing for. But today wasn’t exciting because when I woke up this morning I was told that the Science and Technology had been shut down overnight. Thousands of people were left unemployed and as I stood outside the brown government building I realized I was just another one knowing that until I managed to find another job I wouldn’t be earning water rations and food rations. That was bad but the problem was it would take me at least two years to get the qualifications in order to be accepted into a new job. How was I supposed to last without food or water until then?

‘I’m sorry that we had to retrench you all but in the future you’ll know it was for a good cause.’ Mr Smithson boomed from the podium at the top of the steps so we could all see him. To be honest with you he didn’t look sorry at all, he just seemed glad that instead of feeding us he would have more food to feed his gluttonous habits.

I wanted to throw something at him. Something that would knock him unconscious so we could elect a president who wouldn’t abuse all of the privileges he got and could actually rule our country.

‘How are we going to get food and water?’ The man next to me shouted before Mr Smithson could say anything else.

Around me people started yelling their own questions and I could have sworn I heard someone hissing. Even though we were surrounded by security I was pushed forward as Ty (the man who was supposed to be my helper today) tried to get to Mr Smithson. The rest of the unemployed men and women moved aside. I was frozen knowing what he was going to do before he punched the president in the face.

‘How dare you?’ Anthony, the president’s personal assistant, said joining the fight.

I shouted hoping that I would somehow be able to convince Ty to give up. Sure a few seconds ago I was thinking of hurting the leader of our country but that didn’t mean I was stupid enough to risk my life for it. Within seconds the security members had the situation in control which meant that Ty was being dragged away. Before they could get him out of sight though I saw the blood from his busted nose flowing thickly down his cheeks. I knew exactly where he would be taken without being told. He wouldn’t even get a trial before being sent to a detention centre where he would spend hours cleaning the sewage out of the water that would be purified for us to drink.

‘Anyway, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted.’ He paused looking over his shoulder at the doorway where Ty had been dragged into. ‘I have decided that as a result of your retrenchment I will personally have three of the two thousand people here today working in my offices.’

There was a murmur in the crowd as people realized what his competition meant. Anyone who worked for the president never had to worry about food or water and even had luxuries such as their own homes instead of sharing a flat of apartments with other people.

Mr Smithson opened up his study file and pulled out a speech card so he could read the names. ‘The first person is Lyle Goldbrick. The second is Olivia Burnfield and lastly it is one of the newest members of this sector.’ He paused allowing me just enough time to deduce that he could mean only four people. ‘Lola Humphries.’

I froze. Not because my name was called but because of the piece of paper that someone passed to me as the three winners ran to the stage. If I had known then how much that piece of paper would change my life I would never have opened it. But sadly I hadn’t known.

TO BE CONTINUED ....

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